The Man of Tomorrow
by mr. jensen ackles
Summary: Clark re evaluates his life, making life changing decisions.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't know anything except the plot.

The Man of Tomorrow

Fog rolled in towards the Kent Farm, leaving an eerily familiar feeling hanging over Clark Kent. The full moon cast a glow over the ground, but the glow was drowned out when the fog took over.

The 19 year old man could feel new sensations racking his body as he soared over the tree tops. His body made it's way to Crater Lake, faster than he could run.

Darkness filled his gaze, and the boy had to land, unless he wanted to crash. Even _he _couldn't see in the dark.

Pebbles were sent flying into the lake due to the magnitude of his power. Tiredness started to fill his body, leaving him weak. The past week was taking it's toll on him.

He had to rescue two certain cousins at least four times last week, and having just gotten his powers back, he wasn't as resistant to exhaustion as he used to be.

"Damn it, Lois." He cursed to himself as he walked onto the dock and looked at his twisted reflection in the water. It seemed as if everything in his life was twisted--abstract.

Clark made the decision to tell Lois Lane about his abilities--as much as Chloe Sullivan, her cousin and his best friend knew. It seemed that since then, she and Chloe had been taking more risks. He just wished that they'd be more careful. He would always try to be there, but one day he'd mess up. He didn't want them to be the ones in trouble when that day happened.

He tried to get to Lois when she hit her head swimming at this very spot. Arthur Curry saved her then. If she only knew how he felt, not being able to get to her faster... it tore him apart, knowing that he couldn't do something using his abilities.

Lana Lang was another matter altogether. She was a magnet for disaster--Tina Greer the insane bone-warper, the girl who died on the bridge when she and Lana were children, and the bug-boy who wanted to mate with her. After that, she was possessed by Countess Isabel Thoreau; in a relationship with Jason Teague, who was obsessed with the Kryptonian stones just like his mother, Genevieve; and became a somewhat obsession to Lex Luthor. During the second meteor shower, Jason was killed, and Lana and Clark were given a chance to confess their love for each other.

Clark had gotten what he wanted for years--a relationship with Lana Lang. But now, to him, it was all an illusion. He felt he was trapped in a warped illusion that he couldn't get out of. He managed to leave her a month ago. They were now just friends.

He realized months ago that he didn't love her. It was an infatuation. The one he truly loved didn't love him back. Sure, they got along alright, and shared a few tender moments, but he knew she'd probably never feel anything but friendship for him.

Sighing, Clark looked up from his reflection and turned around, walking off of the white planks that formed a platform over the water.

"I'm not normal," Clark told himself, "No matter how hard I try, I will never be a normal human."

It was true. Clark spent his whole life trying to fit in.

For a few days, he did. But it all changed when he was shot in front of Chloe. He had died, but his biological father held his fate, and gave him his life back. But it came with a price--it cost him his normalcy. He was once again Clark Kent--secret-keeping Farm Boy.

Hearing his name being called, he bent down and shot off into the air, heading home.

The lights were on in his loft when he got home. It was probably just Lois looking around.

Walking up the stairs, his suspicions were confirmed as he saw the woman leaning over, peering out of his telescope.

"What are you doing up here?" He asked her, "I thought you hated it up here."

"It's not that bad," She said, turning to give him a wink.

"We should head downstairs... dinner's ready, isn't it?" He suggested.

"Yeah, Smallville." She said, threading her arm through his and tucking her hand in her coat pocket, and lead him down the stairs and to the house.

"Thanks, Mrs. Kent," Lois said, "Dinner was great."

"Yeah, mom." Clark echoed, "Great." He saw Lois and Martha start to pick up the dishes but stopped them. "I'll clean up tonight. Just go and relax." He used his super speed to piled the dishes by the sink but went at normal speed to clean them.

Half hour later, Clark was finished.

"Thanks, honey." Martha called from the living room, where she, Jonathan, and Lois were watching The Ring Two.

He smiled as he leaned on the doorframe, watching them. He didn't know how Lois managed to get his parents to watch this.

"Come sit down!" Lois whispered, patting the seat next to her. In an instant, he was sitting there.

An hour later, he and Lois were tangled, and Clark was pushed up against the couch, his arms around Lois' waist. It didn't help his hormones any that both pair of hands seemed to have gone under her shirt, resting right under her breasts.

He wanted to go higher, but he knew he'd be pushing it then... he didn't know if Lois was comfortable enough with him to let him go there.

All rational thought was pushed out of his head as a scary part of the movie came on, giving Lois an excuse to scoot closer, pushing his hands to where they wanted to go.

Daringly, he gave a little squeeze, causing her to arch herself against him and let out a soft sigh. So, she wanted him to touch her. . .

The tables were turned.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a cruel game they played.

And as Clark lips made their way to Lois' neck, lightly nipping her delicate skin, she wished she had the upper-hand.

He smirked, knowing what he was doing was driving her crazy. But with his parents sitting on the other couch, merely feet away, he knew she wouldn't do anything drastic to flip the stakes once again.

He wasn't doing this to get to her, but to pleasure her... because he knew he could. He doubted that even Arthur--AC--could have brought this much pleasure to her.

It felt wrong, though. Not just because his parents were practically right next to them, but because she didn't feel anything for him.

Just a friend. Echoed in his mind. He pulled his hands and head away, as if burned.

How could he allow himself to lose control?

"Don't stop." He heard her whisper under her breath. He continued where he stopped.

He paused again as she turned to face him. "Take this upstairs?" She suggested.

"Are you sure?" He asked gently.

She nodded.

"OK." They both sat up, before standing up after stretching. They sighed in relief, seeing the elderly couple asleep comfortably.

The two went up the stairs, and into Clark's room, shutting the door. They were instantly connected, lips glued together. His hands roamed under her shirt, fingertips lightly scraping her soft, warm back.

He smirked as she let out a gasp. He loved the effect he had on her.

"Lois." He whispered softly, "Do you really want to do this?"

"Do you even have to ask?" She smirked.

The sun's rays hit Clark's closed eyes, making him stir. He opened them slowly, seeing Lois looking down at him, smiling.

"It's about time you woke up." She said, "Your parents are in town. They'll be back after lunch. They asked about you, but I told them you fell asleep last night."

"Thanks," He said, savoring the feeling of her chest against his face, and her fingers running through his raven hair. "Do... do you regret last night?" He hesitated, not wanting to know if she did.

"Of course not. If I did, I would've been gone." She said, "I wouldn't have stuck around to kiss you."

"Well? Are you going to?" He joked. He moved upwards, pinning her down, kissing her softly. The kiss grew, and both were left breathless.

"I should go do the chores, dad will expect them to be done." He told her as he got up, putting a black boxers, a blue shirt, and worn-out Levi's on, "I'll be done in a few minutes."

"Take your time," She said, "I'll just take a shower and... admire the view." She finished with a hungry look.

He blushed and left the room.

Clark lifted the pile of garbage and incinerated it, using his heat vision. The garbage was now just a pile of ashes, which blew away in the dust.

His attention was turned to Shelby, who was rolling around in the grass on top of the hill.

The dog stopped and looked at him, barking almost happily.

He grinned before jogging over the large pile of hay that lay dangerously over the yard. He used his super speed to stack them into a neat, organized, pile and stepped back to admire his work.

A pair of hands snaked their way around his waist, but he frowned, jerking out of the embrace.

"What's wrong, Clark?" Lois asked.

He clenched his jaw, using his X-Ray vision on her. He saw large masses of green and clenched his fist, X-Raying the house. He spotted the real Lois in the shower--just like she said.

He looked back at the imposter in front of him. "Who are you?" He demanded.

"It's me--Lois." She lied.

"No you're not. She's in the house." He said. A sudden look of surprise flashed across their face, but anger soon replaced it.

"You killed me, Clark." She spat angrily, "But this time, I'm going to kill you." She formed into Tina Greer and grabbed his shirt, throwing him as hard as she could. He landed on top of Lois' car, pain overtaking him. He raised his head, seeing Tina coming towards him.

"How are you here?" He asked painfully as he got off of the car.

"Thanks to Luthor Corp, I'm alive. It's not temporary, either. It'll be tough to kill me again, and this way, I don't have to get injections every two seconds." Tina told him.

"I won't let you hurt Lana, again." He told her, angry.

"I'm not after Lana Lang, though it wouldn't hurt to pay her a visit." She said, shrugging, "I'm after you, Kent, and I'm going to get you."

"Clark--what happened?" Lois had walked out of the house, seeing him standing next to her totaled car, Tina standing across from him.

"You've been warned, Clark." Tina said and disappeared.

Clark fell to his knees, feeling as if all his energy had been drained.

Lois appeared right next to him. "Let's get inside the house, you're hurt."

He looked down at his arm and realized a shard of glass pierced it. He pulled it out and threw it on the ground. His arm instantly healed. "Sorry about your car." He apologized, perplexed as she led him inside the house.

"That's OK." She said, smiling, "So what's the deal on her?"

"A few years ago, she became obsessed with Lana." He told her, "She could warp into anyone--including me, Whitney, Chloe, and Lana. She wanted to become her. I stopped her... I killed her. It was an accident."

"How is she alive, then?" She asked, alarmed.

"She mentioned Luthor Corp." He told her, "I think we need to tell Chloe and Lana... before Tina gets to them."

"Good idea." She said, "But since my car is now almost completely flat, I think you better run us to the Talon."

He smirked before doing as she requested.

"Whoa, Clark. Hold on!" Chloe exclaimed, "Tina Greer is back!"

"Afraid so." Clark told her and Lana, "She managed to throw me half way across the yard. Good thing I landed on a. . . mattress." He earned a glare from Lois, who realized she would either have to walk or get carried everywhere until she could get a new car.

"She gave me the creeps." Lois said, leaning into Clark, who's arm was around her waist.

"Ok, so what are we going to do about it?" Lana asked, "I don't want to be the focus of her game anymore."

"She's not after you, but she may try to hurt you." He told her.

"Then who is she after?" Chloe asked, confused.

"Me." He revealed, "I killed her, so she's trying to kill me. This time, I may not make it out."

"You? It was her fault that she died!" Lana exclaimed, "I was there. She backed up against the pole!"

"No, she didn't. You were inside, remember? I pushed her back against it." Clark told her, "Either way, she after me, and, well, knowing her she'll go after you guys, too."

"She'll use anything against you to stop you." Chloe confirmed, "She's dangerous. Plus her extra strength doesn't hurt her any. We'll need a system."

"What are you thinking?" Clark asked, unsure as he saw three grins break out on each woman's face.

He knew it. He was doomed.

"I'm not sure about this, you guys." Clark said, unsure, "A password? I was thinking more along the lines of staying somewhere safe."

"Like where, Clark? She could get into anywhere." Lana said.

Clark looked at Chloe knowingly. "Lex's mansion."

"You can't take us there." Chloe exclaimed.

"Why not? It's a better plan than yours." He argued, "Plus, it'll give you a chance to snoop for info."

He could see the vain in her forehead throb with a smirk. "What do you say, Chloe?"

"Fine." She said, twitching, "But I'm only doing this because it's for our safety."

He smiled. "Let's go, then."

"Lead the way, Mr. Kent." Chloe said.

"I can't believe you brought your mother and me here, Clark." Jonathan said angrily, "Even if it is for this reason."

"Then you can go." Clark said, "But I can't be around to protect you if she comes."

"Let's go, Martha." Jonathan said and got into his truck.

Martha cast a look at Clark. He nodded and watched his parents leave.

"Well, that didn't go so well." Chloe stated.

"Let's just go." He said, "Before Lex changes his mind."

He walked into the doors leading to Lex's office.

"Welcome, Clark. I've set up your rooms." He said, his eyes settling hungrily on Lois, "Would any of you care for some wine?"

"No." Came from all of them.

"Very well. Dinner is at sex--I mean six." He said, his eyes going lower down Lois' chest, "You may go. Lois, visit me before then. I want to talk to you."

"Come on," Chloe said and left, the others trailing behind her.

"Listen," Clark started once they were out of hearing range, "I only did this as a last resort. There was nowhere else to go."

"The last thing we need is in-house rivalries." Lois said.

"So try not to do anything to make Lex mad." Chloe told him.

He nodded. "I'm tired, so I'll be in my room. I think it's best we all get some rest."

They agreed and went their separate ways--except Lois and Clark who went to his room.

"Are you going to see him?" Clark asked finally as he and Lois lay on his bed.

"I don't know." She admitted, "I don't want to, but maybe I should."

He was silent. He saw the way Lex was devouring Lois with his eyes. He didn't like it at all. It was worse than AC.

That's when it hit him. He shot up in the bed, reaching for his phone.

"Who are you calling?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A friend." He said as he punched in the numbers and held the phone up to his ear.

"Clark?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"If you're calling about what happened before I left, I'm sorry."

"No, AC. It's not. I need you to dig up information on Luthor Corp's latest experiments. It's very important."

"I'll get the info by tonight. Meet me at the Lake--around five." He said and hung up.

"So... you called my ex-boyfriend to help you? I thought you didn't like him very much."

"He's not that bad." He said, mocking her earlier words. She rolled her eyes.

"But he's not as good as my new boyfriend." She told him as she kissed him. He melted into her touch.

"So, I'm your boyfriend now, huh?" He asked cockily.

"I won't tell anyone if you don't." She smirked as she kissed him again.

Later that night

Clark stood near the lake, dressed in jeans and a navy blue jacket with white stripes down the sleeves.

He watched as AC made his way towards him. "Hey, Clark." He said, "I got the files on it. Apparently, they're bringing back the deceased. Has someone got to you? Is that why you needed these?"

"Yes. A girl named Tina Greer came after me today. We're staying at Lex's until this blows over." Clark said.

"You and who?" AC asked.

"Chloe, Lois, and Lana." Clark told him, "It was a last resort."

"Get them out of there, Clark. They're in more danger than you could ever imagine." AC told him, "Meet me back here in fifteen minutes. I'll show you where you can stay."

Clark nodded and disappeared.

AC waited patiently while each woman appeared in front of him--Lois clutched tightly onto Clark, who wore an angry look.

"What happened?" AC asked demanded, "Was it Lex?"

"I'm going to kill him." Clark muttered, repeating it over and over.

"Come on, let's go." AC said, "We'll talk later." He grabbed a remote out of his pocket and pressed a button as he threw a capsule. A boat appeared on top of the water. "I have a friend who's been working on these. They're amazing."

The group piled on to the boat and shot across the water, towards a spot where they couldn't be found.

The warehouse AC brought them to was unlike any Clark had ever seen. AC had redone it and made it into a four story home--fully furnished with an 'award winning yard'.

AC had given them each rooms, pairing Clark with Lois, who wouldn't detach herself from the man.

"I'll be searching for Tina." AC said after getting a brief description of her and her abilities.

"Call me if you find her. Don't do anything foolish." Clark ordered. AC nodded before diving into the water, a tail.

"We'll leave you two alone." Chloe said softly, "Let's go, Lana." She started to lead Lana away, who couldn't get her eyes off of Lois and Clark. Her eyes were full of malice. Her suspicions had been confirmed when she saw them kiss before leaving the mansion.

She was furious that he could get over her that quickly. "Some nerve," She muttered to herself as Chloe dragged her up the stairs.

"What happened with Lex?" Clark asked softly as he crouched down in front of Lois, caressing her cheek.

He had noticed the red mark appearing on her face, and was now beginning to think Lex had a major part of it.

"He... punched me hard." She said, getting angry, "He made me feel worthless... like I was just some cheap hooker."

"Did he try to rape you?" Clark asked, angry at Lex, but concerned for Lois.

"Just about, but... I've handled worse." She told him, "Don't worry about me."

He frowned. She's handled worse? His mind was spinning.

"I just want to feel good." She whispered.

Without a second thought, he scooped her into his arms and carried her up the loud, echoing staircase and to where AC assigned them. He looked around as he carried her, and walked into the bedroom, laying her down on the bed.

He half-covered her as he removed his shirt. It wasn't the best thing to do in this situation, but he was determined to make her feel good... even if it was only for an hour.

"Oh, gosh, Clark." She moaned, feeling Clark's hands all over her body.

Soon, they were both stripped of all clothing, their bodies entwined.

He collapsed onto the bed next to her and moved to embrace her, comforting her.

"Lois..." He said.

"Yeah, Smallville?" She asked tiredly.

"You're amazing," He told her, "And... I'm going to be honest with you. Tina's a lot different than she was when she was... alive or dead--whatever. All I'm trying to say is that I'm vulnerable. She can kill me. I may be killed, and I want you to know I love you."

"I love you too, Clark." She said and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Soon after that, they fell asleep in a passionate embrace.

Clark woke up to urgent knocking on the door to their floor. He grabbed his boxers and jeans, putting them on quickly, and went to answer the door.

"You two have fun?" AC asked with an amused smirk.

"What?" He asked, perplexed.

"Scratches." He told Clark.

Clark blushed, noticing scratch marks on his chest from Lois. "What did you need?" He asked.

"I found Tina," AC said gravely, and Clark noticed for the first time scratches on AC's face.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Clark asked.

"This guy interfered when I was fighting her. He pulled out this can and just used this spray. She's really dead now, and she'll stay dead." AC said.

"Who was it?"

"Batman." AC told him, "Bruce Wayne."

"Bruce Wayne is Batman!" Clark exclaimed, "What was he doing here?"

"He told me that the gas that was used on Tina was used on the whole Gotham City." AC told him, "He managed to stop all the corpses before there was too much real damage. Good thing he was here."

"So it's over?" Clark asked.

"Yes, Clark. It's over. For once, Smallville didn't need your help." AC said and left.

Clark only felt angry. He noted the cockiness of AC's voice and felt hate directed at him. He knew that he wasn't over Lois, but nothing was going to take her from Clark.

Nothing.

Should I end it here? Or should I continue with the Clex battle and make Clark Superman? PM me with suggestions.

Nightmares clouded Clark's mind as he slept--Tina, Lana, and Lex.

He shot up in his bed, sweat dripping off of his skin as he grinded his teeth together.

"You alright, Clark?" Asked Lois from beside him as they lay in his bed, in the safety of their home--the Kent Farm.

"Yeah," He said, laying back down, "I just had a nightmare."

"About Tina?" She asked, snuggling into him.

"Yeah…" He told her, "I'll tell you more about it in the morning. Love you."

"You better, Kent." She said as he kissed her hard on the mouth.

The scent of bacon, eggs, and pancakes filled the house, waking the three sleeping Kent's and Lois.

"Who the hell is cooking? Clarkie?" She muttered.

"Morning!" Shouted a cheerful voice from the kitchen. Chloe.

"What are you doing here, Chloe?" Asked Martha, wearing the same expression on her face as Clark: shock.

"Just making breakfast for my favorite family." She said, smiling.

"I didn't know you could cook." Clark stated, taking a seat at the table.

"She couldn't, until her, Lois, and I went to a cooking class in the summer." Lana stated, walking inside the back door.

"You can cook?" Clark questioned the woman next to him.

"Don't look so surprised, Smallville." She said, rolling her eyes, "Just because I managed to burn everything the morning Lucy came…" She shuddered at the memory of how bad the food was, as did the others.

They all jumped, though, when her cell phone rang. She quickly answered it and went outside.

"Did you guys get back last night?" Martha asked.

"Yeah. We were with AC, but he managed to stop Tina, thanks to Batman." Clark said, "I just wished I could have gotten to her before they did."

"Where were you when this happened?" Jonathan asked.

"I was a bit… preoccupied at the moment." He said, trying to stifle the blush that was starting to form.

"Which reminds me, Clark--I need ear plugs." Chloe stated, casting him a sly grin.

"What's going on, Clark?" Jonathan asked sternly, "Come on, we're going to have a little talk."

"I don't need a lecture, dad." Clark groaned, "I'm 18. I can make my own decisions."

"You're still my son, and you're livin' under my roof. We do things to protect you, and you just go and stab your mother and me in the back." Jon said angrily, "You threw it all away for a night of passion."

"This isn't like with Lana, dad." He said, "It's a lot more. Plus, it was two nights."

"She doesn't even know about your powers, Clark. How can you have a healthy relationship?" Jon asked.

"She does know, dad. She's known since right after the meteor shower. So does Chloe… she found out by Alicia. Even Lana knows." Clark told him, "None of them has told anyone about me, and would rather die than expose me."

"Why didn't you tell me!" Jon yelled.

"Because I knew you'd react this way!" Clark yelled back, "I just want to be a normal human being and live a normal life with Lois. That's all I want!"

"You wanted that with Alicia, too." Jon said coldly, "She ended up dead, though."

"Lois won't die." He said angrily.

"You've put a big burden on all of them." Jon yelled, "They might slip up, or someone may hurt them to get to you!"

"I'm not leaving her, so you can just go to hell!" Clark yelled and super sped into the house. A 'SLAM!' could be heard from where Jon stood in the loft.

Clark finished his breakfast before doing his chores, and playing with Shelby. He was still mad at his dad, but refused to let it interfere with his conversation with the others.

"Clark," Said Martha said as she walked up to him.

"Hey, mom." He said as he threw a bale of hay into the stack he was forming.

"I hear the girls know about your powers?" She said.

"Yeah. Did dad tell you?" He asked.

"We all heard you." Martha said, "You were loud."

"I wish he'd just let me do something for myself for once." Clark stated angrily, using his speed to finish up the bales of hay. "He's trying to hold me back."

"No, sweetie, he's not." Martha told him, "He's only doing what he thinks is best."

"Well, in this case, it's holding me back--" He stopped as he fell to the ground, holding his side, "Ah…" He exclaimed.

"Clark!" She screamed, "What's wrong?"

"It's Jor-El." He managed to say, "Go get Chloe. Only Chloe."

"I don't understand. Why do you need me to take you there?" Chloe asked as she drove quickly to the caves.

Clark removed his hand from his side, blood covering it. "You've talked to Jor-El more than once." He told her, "You can ask him about what's happening to me…"

She nodded in understanding as she stopped the car and helped him walk to the entrance of the caves.

"Jor-El." Chloe called out as Clark leaned against a wall, "What is happening to Clark!"

"He is becoming human, young one." It was Lara who said this, "He is developing an ability that not many Kryptonians had--the power to be human at their own will."

Chloe gasped. "Why is he bleeding?"

"He is being drained of all particles in his blood that make Kryptonite weaken him. It will not affect his powers any, but he will be more vulnerable to some substances than he used to be." Lara told him, "In the end, it will help him fulfill his destiny."

"Destiny…" Clark muttered, "It's about time I do what they want me to."

"What are you talking about, Clark?"

"Come, Kal-El. You shall return soon. You need to learn as much about Krypton as you possibly can. Young lady, he shall be back within three earthly weeks."

"Chlo, tell Lois and my mom that I'll be back soon." Clark said, walking towards an entrance in the walls, "And that I love them. Tell my dad I'm sorry."

She nodded as he walked into the entrance, and vanished.

A week passed for the family. But to Clark, it was 147 years. Each day was seven years. He had gotten skinnier, slightly darker--tanner--, but he was much stronger, faster, and his abilities had improved. His X-Ray vision had improved so he could see actual figures--not just bones, and he could see through lead. His eyes could zoom in on small things and see great detail. A layer of scruff had formed on his chin and cheeks, but was light and light brown.

He was finally ready to go home. It felt like years since he was last home, but it was only a week. Memories stood out fresh in his mind, and he regretted yelling at his dad, and leaving Lois without a good-bye.

Shooting off into the air, wearing battered clothes, Clark was headed home.

He landed in his front yard, seconds later and walked up to his door. He tried to open it, but it was locked.

Since when did his parents lock the door?

A moment later, the door opened, revealing his father.

"Clark… you're back." He said, pulling his son inside, "Chloe informed us on your status."

"Where's Lois?" Clark asked.

"She's in Paris with Chloe and Lana. They left a week ago. They'll be back in a few days." Jonathan said.

"I see." Clark said with a sad look.

"Go to them, son. Lois practically died when she found out you were stuck in the Fortress." He said, "As your father, I order you to go to Paris."

Clark nodded and was now wearing a black shirt, worn-out jeans, and holding a duffel bag.

"I can't be too careful, even though I'm faster than before." He explained, "I'll see you later." He vanished into thin air, leaving his father shocked.

Paris, France

Lana let out a happy sigh as she sat with Chloe, and Lois. The cousins were sipping coffee, and she was drinking some sort of grape juice.

"I can't believe you woke me up just to get that grape crap." Said Chloe irritably. It was two in the after noon, and five in the morning in Smallville. "I wish I was a farmer…"

"Why?" Lois asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Because they're used to waking up at five am…" She grumbled, "Never mind."

She jumped high when her cell phone rang, getting looks from people around them.

She answered it quickly. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." It was Clark.

"Where are you?" She asked him.

"On the café on the corner of the street. Get down here in three minutes, or I'm leaving." He hung up.

"Ok, you two, come one." She got up and started to walk away.

"Where's she going?" Lana asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have no idea, but we better follow her." Lois said as she put her coffee down.

They both got up and followed Chloe, who entered a fancy café.

"Hey, Chloe." Clark said as he saw her, "How've you been?"

"Just fine. What happened to your face!" She exclaimed.

"I'm in the very slow process of growing a beard. So what?" He asked, smirking.

"You've changed so much in a week--you're taller, skinnier, and you have a cat on your face!"

He rolled his eyes.

"And what's with the suit?" She questioned.

"It's nothing fancy. Just something I picked up before I got here." He said. He stopped talking when he saw Lana and Lois enter the café. "Wow."

He saw Lana, who had shortened her hair so it reached her shoulders, and Lois, who's hair had blonde streaks and looked like it did when he first met her as Kal-El. That was the only time he'd seen her with her hair like that.

"Look who I met…" Chloe said, "The man who's going to flood the place."

By the time Chloe ended her sentence, Lois and Clark were attached to each other, in a serious over-due lip-lock.

"­­Anyway," Lana said, smiling at the waiter, "/Four of us, please./"

He nodded and flashed her a dazzling smile before leading them to a small table outside.

Minutes passed and as they talked and ordered food. Minutes later, four small plates were delivered to them.

"That's it?" Clark complained. He ordered more food and dessert, and dug in.

"You're acting like you haven't eaten in a year!" Chloe exclaimed, watching Clark stuff his face.

"147, actually." He told her.

"What do you mean by that?" Lana asked.

"I'll explain everything later." Clark said, as he sat back, finally finished. He slapped money on the table and got up. "I'm going to go find a place to stay."

"Why don't you just stay at the hotel we're at?" Chloe suggested, glancing at her cousin for a moment. "It's very expensive!"

"That's exactly why we're staying in one room." Lois said, smiling.

"Sounds good to me." He said.

"Lana, Lois, and I are sharing the bed. You can sleep on the couch." Chloe said.

"Chlo, that couch can barely fit you and Lana sitting up." Lois told them, "What makes you think he'll be able to fit?"

"I'll take the floor." Clark interjected.

"How about he just sleeps on the bed? It's more than big enough for the four of us." Lana said loudly, breaking Lois and Chloe from their tiny argument.

"I knew that." Chloe scoffed, but let out a large yawn.

Yawns broke out from the two other girls.

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea waking you up at five to get grape juice." Lana said clumsily.

"Five? But it's two." Clark stated.

"Smallville time," Chloe said as she laid down on the bed, the others following. Lana hadn't been lying. The bed was so big, they got at lease two feet in-between all of them.

Clark carried his duffel bag into the bathroom, changing from the suit to flannel pajama bottoms. He didn't get a chance to change into his shirt, because the door opened. He smirked when he saw it was Lois who had entered. She placed the clothes she brought in on the counter. She turned to face him, a confident smirk on her face.

He couldn't even get a word out before he was pushed up against the wall. He dipped his head, kissing her hard on the lips.

He pulled away, breathing heavily against her neck. "I've missed you." He whispered.

"Me too." She replied, running a finger along his chin.

"I can see that." He whispered with a smirk and started to kiss her neck, earning a gasp from the woman, "We'll finish this later." He changed into the shirt he held into his hands and pulled something out of his bag--two necklaces. "Here, Lo. I got you something. It's Kryptonian."

"A Kryptonian necklace?" She eyed the clear crystal, which held a faint red glow in the middle.

"It was my mother's." He told her as he put his own on. It was Jor-El's, and was black. "This one was my father's."

"It's beautiful." She said, looking at it, an then put it on. She felt something stir inside of her, as did Clark.

"So are you. She may have mentioned something about side effects." He said, "Like… powers."

"Hmm. I don't feel any different." She shrugged.

"Try it." He said, "Try and pick me up."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Only someone with tons of strength could do it, Lois, so don't give me the eyebrow." He said.

She rolled her eyes.

"Ok, here. Grab my hand." He held his hand out.

She grabbed it and squeezed slightly, raising her hand. He rose with it.

"OK. That settles it," She said, dropping him, "Your mother's necklace gave me powers."

"You can take it off if you want." He said, "I'd understand."

"No way, Smallville. This is so cool. Now let's just go to bed." She said, using her super speed to change and then appeared in front of him, wearing his plaid shirt and very short gray shorts.

"Bed?" He asked, a smirk making it's way to his face. He slapped himself, and he looked like he did a few moments ago, "Let's just go to sleep."

They walked out into the room, where he saw Lana and Chloe watching TV.

Laying down, the two got under the covers, cold like the other two girls.

Clark wrapped his arms around Lois, holding her to him, and laid his head on her chest.

He was instantly asleep, dreaming of the three girls.

Clark was trapped inside the endless, white dimension. There was a fridge, a bed, and books. That was it.

He let out a groan, wishing he would have just stayed with his family.

"Kal-El." Spoke a voice.

Clark turned around, alarmed. "Jor-El?" He spoke.

"Yes, it is I. You have been sent here to train. It will seem like 147 earth years, but truly a week."

He frowned. "Will I ever go back home?" He asked.

"Of course, Kal-El." He said, "But until then, you will become a true Kryptonian, and help this young one become one, too."

Clark looked and saw a boy, maybe seventeen years old, appear.

"What am I supposed to do?" Clark asked, desperate.

"Learn to control your powers. Help him control his." Jor-El told him, "Another woman will also come to be trained, but help him at this point. Kal-El… only you can truly become a true Kryptonian. Feed off of your anger, my son."

Clark nodded.

"Who are you?" Asked the boy.

"Clark. Clark Kent." He answered, "Or to my father, Kal-El."

"Ian Scott--Num-El." He said, "We're in the same family."

"You two were both born by me and Lara El. You two are my sons." Jor-El said, "You also have a sister, who will arrive later for training."

Clark nodded. "Let's get started, Ian." He said sternly, "We'll have to train long and hard. I'm a slave driver."

Ian grinned.

"I can't do it, Clark!" Ian exclaimed as he stepped back.

"Yes, you can, Ian. Get up!" Clark said to the boy he's know for… one earth day.

"I'm out of energy." He said.

"Two more, Ian!" Kris Martinez said.

Ian brought his fist back and punched as hard as he could, sending Clark back a little farther.

"You're doing good, kid." Clark said.

"You were serious when you said you're a slave-driver." Ian stated, walking over to the bed and sitting down.

"I take after my mom." He said as he sat down, taking off the Kryptonian armor Jor-El gave them to train in.

"What's you family like?" Ian asked, "Who do you live with?"

"I live with my mom, dad, and girlfriend." He answered, "And dog. We live on a farm in Smallville."

"Your girlfriend?" Ian asked, "Sheesh, my parents won't even let me date yet."

Clark smirked. "It's a long story."

"You can't even date yet?" Kris asked, raising en eyebrow.

"It was a joke. We've got time, Clark. Tell us the whole story." Ian said.

"Well, then. She came to Smallville to find out who killed her cousin. I met her while I was naked in a field as Kal-El, and I had no idea who I was or anything. Anyway, I finally got my memory back, and she and I went to her cousin's safe house, which blew up. All of a sudden, these helicopters started to chase us. It turned out to be her father, who's a three-star general in the military. I had to crash one of the choppers, so I used my heat vision on it. Luckily, she wasn't looking. So then we went home, and there was a little incident with the shower… anyway, we had to explain what the hell we were doing at the house." He stopped to take a breath.

Ian was paying close attention. "Then what?"

"Well, that's when my girlfriend went to her cousin's grave to dig it up--"

"Why?" Kris questioned.

"I told her she was still alive, and she needed confirmation."

"Oh, okay. Continue."

"So she got attacked in the graveyard by this guy who's limbs could change to metal. Then my ex-girlfriend came and used mace on the guy. Then they both came back to the farm, where I was fixing a tractor."

"Ouch." Ian cringed, "That doesn't sound good. Dude, what are their names?"

"Lois is my girlfriend now, and Lana's my ex." He said, "It was going alright until Lois mentioned that Lana had met a guy during her summer in Paris. I wasn't totally over her yet, and was totally spacing out all afternoon. Then, that evening, before dinner, Lois' dad made another appearance via chopper."

"Wow… that's so cool." Ian said, smirking, "It's a bit overdramatic, though."

Clark chuckled. "Yeah, it is." He said, then was urged by Ian to continue, "But later, the General and Lois had to leave. Lois told me that he chased her down because of Chloe--her 'dead' cousin… can I skip forward a bit? This is just the beginning there's a whole lot more."

"Like what?" Ian asked, beginning to grow tired.

"Well, there's the whole fiasco with Lois and this guy who could paralyze people." He said, chuckling, "I'll tell you some other time, kid."

"There's a lot we have to catch up on, Clark. I want to know everything. You sound like you're a pretty cool guy." Ian said.

"Alright. We'll take a day off in a few days, and I'll tell you everything." Clark said, "Now go to sleep."

Clark paced, looking at the endless whiteness of the chamber he seemed to be in. He'd been in there twelve earth days. He was getting restless and agitated.

"Clark, what's wrong?" Asked Ian from where he was sitting. He just woke up.

"I want to get out of here." He said angrily.

"It makes you angry, doesn't it? Not being able to just go home and be with your family?" Ian asked, "Get over it, Kent."

"How dare you talk to me like that?" He knew Ian was just trying to rile him up, but he took the bait anyway, not being able to stop himself.

"Use your anger, Clark. Use it!" Kris said, "Think about Jor-El, and Lara, how they just took you away from those who love you and made you be here. It's been many years since you've seen them. Do you miss them? Do you regret not saying goodbye?"

Clark frowned and let out a yell. His hair spiked and his eyes flashed a dark red.

"You're doing it, Clark." He said, smirking.

Clark's hair fell back into place, his eyes returning to a normal blue color.

"You've done it, my son." Jor-El said, "You have become the legendary Kryptonian that has been passed down the El family. Now harness the power. You will need it to fulfill your destiny, saving people."

Clark smirked. He had done it. His parents would be proud of him.

"Let's train, Ian. You need to strengthen up a bit. You're not strong enough." Clark said.

"One week left, Clark. Seven days and we're out of here." Ian said.

"Yeah, there must be very little day left." Clark said, growing anxious, though he didn't show it.

"You should show some emotion. You've been--for lack of a better word--emotionless since we got here." Said Kris smiling happily. She, for one, couldn't wait to get out of the place. She wanted to go back to her friends.

"I'll think about it." Clark said, showing a sliver of a smile, "You should go to bed, Ian. You worked hard today."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll give you two time to talk." Ian crawled into the bed and was instantly asleep.

"So what are you going to do once you leave?" Kris asked him.

"I'm not sure. I can't just ignore Kal-El and Jor-El." He sighed, "It's a part of me--us. I won't ignore it. I'll just try to live as normal of a life as I can."

"At least you have a true family. You've got your dad, mom, girlfriend, and a lot of friends who understand you completely. I wish I had your life. One where I didn't have to lie."

"It's not as good as it seems." Clark told her, "I lied for years, thinking they wouldn't understand. I still have a friend who is too obsessed with the caves and the stones to pursue a real friendship. He kept tabs on everything I did for years until I found out. After that, he only threw some things out."

"I'm sorry." She said.

"What about you?" He asked, "What's your home like?"

"It's actually similar to yours. I try to save people whenever I can. But there's only two people that truly understand what it's like to be me. I've known them for years." She said, "My parents don't really care what I do, though… they're not like yours."

"Well, after we get out, you can come over whenever you want to." He said, "The door is always open."

She smiled at his generosity, "Thanks, Clark."

"Anytime." He said, smiling, "You going to bed now?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"I'm not done for the night yet." He said, "I'm going to make this last week count."

"As long as we're here, we're in it together." Kris said.

A bell chimed and all three of them stopped.

"It's done." Clark said, "We can leave."

"I… I don't want to." Ian admitted, but started walking towards the single door that led to the outside world.

"You guys can come over whenever you want to. You know that, Ian." Clark said.

"As for me, you can expect to see me real soon." Kris said.

"Me too." Ian said.

"Bye." Clark said and walked out of the door, vanishing.

Clark awoke from his dream, his eyes shooting open. Ian. Kris. He needed to call them. It had been a week since he left them, and he had missed a few calls from Ian, and one from Kris.

He crawled out of his bed, careful not to wake Lois, and walked downstairs.

He went to the fridge, opening it an do pulling milk out. He drank from the bottle and set it on the table as he grabbed the phone off of the cradle.

He dialed Kris' number.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, it's me." He said, "Sorry I missed your call."

"That's alright." She said.

"Are you okay? Ian's tried calling me about seven times." Clark said, "You're not in any trouble are you?"

"No," She told him, "But he called me a few minutes ago, and told me he had a strange dream."

"Listen, I've got to call him. Can I call you around eight?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure. Talk to you later."

"Bye, Kris." He hung up and dialed Ian's number.

There was no answer, so Clark left a message. "Hey, it's Clark. Sorry I missed yours and Kris' calls. I've been real busy lately. Um, if you want to you can stop by sometime this week. I'll be glad to see you again… anyway, call my cell if you need me. Bye." He hung up and looked at the clock above the stove, sighing.

He had to get to work. Maybe he'd see Ian at the Talon--he'd seen him before, but never paid much attention.

Clark quickly walked up the stairs and took the quickest shower he could manage, and went back into his room to get dressed.

He smiled, noticing Lois had moved, her hand over his pillow. He quickly dressed in a blue shirt and Levi's before leaning down and blowing in Lois' ear.

"Hmm…" She mumbled, "What!"

"I'm leaving for work now." He said, "See you later?"

"Yeah," She said. He leaned down and kissed her before vanishing.

Clark walked into the Talon, which was still dark, waiting to be arranged.

"Hey, Clark." Lana said as she saw him walk inside.

"Hi," He said, "Sleep well?" Their conversations were still somewhat awkward when they were alone, since they had talked about moving on after he got back from his three week 'hiatus'. They got along well, and Lana was dating a man she met in Paris--he was still there, but was planning to arrive in Smallville around July.

"Yep." She said, smiling, "There's not much to do. I was going to call you and tell you that, so you could sleep in. It's only four."

"I'm used to being up this early." He said.

"Well, as one of your bosses, I'm telling you to go home and come back in at eleven. I'll still pay you for the hours you aren't here." She said.

"Really? Thanks, Lana. I really appreciate it." He smiled and left.

Clark arrived home when his cell phone rang. He let go of the doorknob and walked onto the porch.

"Hey, Clark. It's Ian. You, me, and Kris are on a conference call." The young man said.

"Oh." He said, "Hey, Kris."

"Hey." She said shyly.

"Sorry about the phone call, Kris. Maybe I shouldn't have called you at four." Clark apologized.

"That's okay. I was up anyway." She said.

"Can I come over sometime today?" Ian asked, "I'm leaving home."

"Okay… stop by the Talon around 11, OK?" He said, "Both of you, if you want."

"I'll try, but I may or may not have class." Kris said.

For a moment, both men forgot she was 20, and actually went to college.

"OK. See you later." Clark said and hung up. The others followed.

Clark went into the house and into his room, seeing Lois, who was awake, staring at the ceiling.

"You alright?" He asked her as he took his jacket off, throwing it onto his dresser.

"Where were you for three weeks?" She asked, glancing at him for a moment.

"I don't exactly know where." He admitted, "But I went there by going into the cave wall… I wanted to go home so bad." He looked down at his hands, shaking slightly with anger. "Each day in there was seven years for me. If it hadn't been for Ian and Kris… I would've died."

"Ian and Kris?" She asked, sitting up and leaning on the wall behind her.

"Ian's my brother--he's sixteen. Kris is from Krypton… I guess you'd kind of call her a sister. Jor-El considers her his daughter even though she isn't." He said quietly, "I learned a lot in there. I missed you so bad." He looked at her, pain showing on his face. "If I knew what was going to happen beforehand, I probably wouldn't have done it… but I got stronger and smarter."

"I'm glad you went, Clark. You got a chance to find out more about yourself." Lois said, hugging him.

"It was an endless vortex of whiteness." He said, "Ian got trapped out there once. He couldn't get back, so I had to go get him. He was hysterical and had a fever after I found him. He almost died. I was at the point where I almost did a few times."

"Well, now you're home." Lois said. He leaned down and kissed her.

"I'm with the woman I love." He said.

"And I'm with the man I love." She said.

They spent the next few hours making love, showing each other how much they loved the other.


End file.
